A move to remove affirmative action in Nebraska will soon take center stage in the Unicameral. A senator believes state workers should be hired based on ability, not race, gender or ethnicity.

Lt. Wayne Hudson knows every inch of the Douglas County Courthouse where he's director of security. Hudson is one of a handful of African-American sheriff's deputies. "Is it as diverse as it can be? Maybe not, but we are working on it through some recruiting."

He's personally recruiting more minorities, like Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Jennifer Birkhofer. "There's always a concern that you, you're gonna be the odd person, you're gonna be the different person and everybody just accepts you as you are."

Both deputies represent diversity and affirmative action. Lt. Hudson says that does not mean hiring standards were different. "I know for a fact on this department that doesn't happen. You have to have the minimum qualifications to even get into the door to get an interview with the sheriff."

An amendment introduced by state Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial may change that. It reads, “The state shall not discriminate against, or grant, preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin, in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting.”

Why end affirmative action in Nebraska? "Legislative Resolution 233 Constitutional Ammendment allows the best person to be hired regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin," says Christensen.

"Preferential hiring is a way around no discrimination. Why is it right to have no discrimination based on these categories then place hiring preferences in state offices, colleges and public office?"

Christensen believes Nebraska no longer needs it. "We have great people in this state. Talented and qualified people do not need preferential hiring. The state is best served by the most qualified person being hired."

"Do we best serve our young adults in the university by hiring the second-best professor? No! We need the best hired for our young adults. Giving them the best professor gives our young adults the best education."

Dr. Rubens Pamies, a professor of internal medicine at University of Nebraska Medical Center, thinks it would be a mistake to end affirmative action. "I don't think we need it. I don't think we need to change the constitution to abolish a program that's working quite well."

He says many recruiting programs and scholarships that bring a diverse class of medical students to the university target all minorities. "The students that we do take in at the University of Nebraska are highly qualified, perform excellent."

Christensen disagrees. "The best can be female, red, yellow, black or white, all races can and will be represented without affirmative action. Some professors have stated to me that they were told to hire someone on a list of candidates that did not receive a top rating in the interview. That is a disservice to all involved."

The judiciary committee is scheduled to hear more on February 27th. A number of students from Nebraska colleges and universities plan to hold a rally and testify at that hearing.